Escalation by Design: The US Iran Conflict Enters a New Phase The latest wave of strikes against Iran is more than just a response to two American troops being killed in Jordan it's a deliberate escalation of a conflict that has been simmering for months.
The Trump administration's decision to launch fresh strikes comes after a summer of relative calm in the Middle East, following a ceasefire agreement signed in June.
The US goal is to degrade Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for its previous attacks.